Do you always find yourself facing palm upon hearing a bad news? Do you get so frustrated that you almost pulled out your hair or bang your head repeatedly on the wall? Instead of doing these things and aggravating the stress, why not tap it away?

Research reveals a very easy and interesting way to reduce stress levels right then and there. Whether you are in the office or in the middle of a phone conversation, you can practise a good strategy to ease anxiety. They call it the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). This healing technique combines the concept of Chinese acupressure and modern psychology in lowering down the body’s cortisol levels. Cortisol is a type of hormone that is associated to stress.

So how do you tap the stress away?

First step – be familiar with the tapping points. Here they are:

Point 01: side of the hand (also called the karate chop point)

Point 02: eyebrow point (where the eyebrow begins at the bridge of the nose)

Point 03: side of the eye

Point 04: under the eye

Point 05: under the nose

Point 06: chin (the middle portion under your lips)

Point 07: collar bone (this includes tapping with the hand to locate the right point)

Point 08: under the arm

Point 09: top of the head right at the centre

Second step – learn how to tap

Use your index and middle fingers for tapping. Then, repeatedly tap the side of the hand point while you say this statement aloud three times: Even though I have this problem (cite each problem), I accept myself. Do the same thing with the rest of the tapping points. In between them, don’t forget to take a deep breath. There’s no overdose with EFT. You can continue or repeat the cycle as long as you want or until you feel better.

Is it really effective?

In her interview with Women’s Health, Jessica Ortner, the author of a documentary film that talks about EFT, pointed out some mental and physical benefits of regular tapping. These include improved blood circulation, relaxation in joints and muscles, better digestion, increased vigour, mental clarity and focus, and sports performance.

Although some major health associations are quite sceptical about the effectiveness of this technique, research shows that it is indeed beneficial. For instance, in a study by the Griffith University, it was found that tapping may even trigger weight loss. It does by helping a person focus on certain foods they crave to prevent overeating.

There’s no harm in trying as there’s no side effect involved. Who knows, it could be that one great stress reliever you have been waiting all these years.

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